The Concept of an Energy Self-Sufficient Farm System Compatible with Sustainable Development in a Selected Region in Poland

This paper analyses the real quantity of organic waste in the Polish province of Warmia and Mazury to determine the degree of farm energy self-sufficiency. Systems engineering methods were used in the performance of the study. A relational and mathematical model was constructed to estimate the energy potential of waste biomass in the selected area. This model is the basis for conducting detailed studies, whose results are presented in the content of the paper. The constructed model allows the determination of such parameters as: The value of the energy potential of organic waste generated by farms in the selected area. The value of the technical (real) energy potential of organic waste from farms using specific technologies. The type of waste with the highest energy potential. Our paper defines the concept of the degree of primary energy substitution with renewable energy from agricultural organic waste and presents a methodology for determining the degree of covering the real demand of farms for electrical energy and heat. A statistical model for estimating the unit energy potential of organic waste from a given farm per 1 ha of area was also developed. This model allowed the total energy potential of organic waste from agriculture to be determined for the studied area. In the studied province, the total energy potential of organic waste from agriculture amounts to 16.74 PJ.yr(-1). Although this study shows that the energy potential contained in organic waste from agriculture is significantly large, it is disregarded by farmers and decision-makers. Focusing on the production of energy crops in order to satisfy the demand for energy biomass distorts the image that emerges from our studies: the level of renewable energy generated only from organic waste makes the idea of energy self-sufficiency of farms appear plausible. We considered only those groups of waste that cannot be used in agriculture. The use of the energy potential of organic waste will permit a significantly high reduction of primary CO2 environmental emissions.